Reflections (at different times) on ecumenical or interfaith issues, theology, spirituality, ministry, the arts, politics, popular culture, or life in general ... occasionally, just some funny stuff.

Wednesday, 7 October 2015

“Who wants to be a millionaire?”: a sermon (Mark 10:17–31)

“Who
wants to be a millionaire?”I’m sure
that most of you have heard Eddie McGuire ask this question more than
once.*We may know that the source of the
TV show’s title, a song from the classic film “High Society”, has the repeated
refrain “I don’t”.(“Who wants to be a
millionaire? . . . I don’t.”)The
behaviour and attitudes shown by most people in our community give the
impression that most of us - if we’re brutally honest with ourselves - would
not answer “I don’t”.Rather, the honest
answer for most of us would be “Yes, please” .

“Who
wants to be a millionaire?”Most
people seem to admire the very rich - even if it is a grudging admiration at
times.Whether we think of a rich person
on a global scale (such as Bill Gates), on a national scale (such as Dick Smith), or even a
local success story, we attribute a fair degree of intelligence and good
judgement to the very rich.Even when we
think of those whose gains were probably (at least in part) ill-gotten, we credit the very rich with
a high intelligence, even if the intelligence sometimes takes the form of rat cunning
rather than true wisdom.

It’s
a bit like the song “If I Were a Rich Man” in the play “Fiddler on the
Roof”.Tevye, a poor dairyman,
speculates what life would be like if he were a wealthy man.People, even total strangers, would come to
him for answers to their thorny questions and, as Tevye muses:

It
wouldn’t make one bit of difference

if I
should answer right or wrong,

for
when you’re rich they think you really know.

“Who
wants to be a millionaire?”Most of us
admire the very rich - even if it is a grudging admiration at times.

In
our gospel lesson today, Jesus has a conversation with someone who is often
called “the Rich Young Ruler” by people who preach sermons and write Sunday
School lessons.In our lesson from Mark,
he is only described as being rich.The
same story in Matthew’s gospel tells us that the man (besides being rich) is
young.In Luke’s gospel, we are told that
he is a ruler, as well as rich.So,
thus, we have the “Rich Young Ruler”.He
asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus
gave a good Jewish answer:“Why do you
call me good?No one is good but God
alone.You know the commandments.”He then proceeded to list a few.

The
man replied, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.”This must have been an essentially honest answer, because
Mark tells us that Jesus looked at him with love.

Jesus
then said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own and give it to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me.”

The
“Rich Young Ruler” was “shocked”.Mark
tells us he “went away grieving for he had many possessions.”

Jesus
told his disciples:“How hard it will be
for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. . . . It is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter
the kingdom of God.”

The
thing about the camel going through the eye of a needle is interesting.In the United States, I’ve heard of a
“religious” amusement park. (Yes, as tacky as it sounds, they do have religious
amusement parks in America!!!)This park
has a ride in which you can ride a camel through a very large eye of a very
large needle.(I’m sure it is very
comforting for some!!!)

As
well, I once heard a “popular” preacher here in Australia, one who specialised
in ministry with the wealthy (and politically conservative), talk about a gate in one of Jerusalem’s ancient
walls, a narrow gate called “The Needle’s Eye”.It was difficult - but not impossible - for a camel to go through that
gate.This information may have been
very comforting to the “popular” preacher’s affluent and conservative listeners but, like the
amusement park ride, I doubt if it was really what Jesus had in mind.

Back
to our lesson, the disciples asked Jesus, “Then who can be saved?”

Jesus
replied, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God:for God all things are possible.”

“Who
wants to be a millionaire?”

The
“Rich Young Ruler” was a good person.He
kept all the commandments and was serious about it.But the one thing that hung him up was his
wealth.Jesus challenged the rich man at
this very point:“... go, sell what you
own and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven...”.

Jesus
challenged the “Rich Young Ruler” to move from a lifestyle centred on his
belongings to a lifestyle centred on the needs of his neighbour.Over the centuries, Jesus continues to
challenge us to move from a culture of acquisition to a culture of generosity.

The
poor understand this “culture of generosity” and seek to live it.Even the comparatively poor in our society,
who are still very well-off in global terms, understand the nature of this “culture of
generosity”.Even the frantic
overspending that we see each December among less affluent families in our community - as
maddening as it may be - is a sign, however flawed, of this “culture of
generosity”: a sign of a desire to express the generosity of the season to
family and friends ... particularly the kids.

But
it is among the world’s poor:

found in places like Bangladesh, Cambodia, and the Sudan;

found in Aboriginal communities in this country and in refugee camps on nearby islands;

it is among the world’s poor that we see this culture of generosity most clearly expressed.

In
my four visits to Bangladesh in the 1990s on behalf of the Christmas Bowl
appeal, I saw this many times.

If you want to see generosity, look for it among the poor.

If you want to see real generosity, look for it among the very poor.

If you want to see sacrificial generosity, look for it among the poorest of the poor.

Among the poor, we see a real "culture of generosity".

Ultimately,
whether one is rich, or poor, or (like most of us here) poorer than Bill Gates
but much richer than more than 90% of the world’s population, the question Jesus asks us
(like the “Rich Young Ruler”) is whether or not we are prepared to be part of
such a “culture of generosity”.“It is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is
rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

“Who
wants to be a millionaire?”

Eddie
McGuire asks that question.

So
does Jesus.

Jesus
expects a different answer than Eddie.* For readers in nations other than Australia, Eddie McGuire was the host of the Australian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", and its spin-off "Millionaire Hotseat" since the internationally-franchised programme was first seen on Australian TV in the 1990s. This is alongside such other hosts of this quiz show as Chris Tarrant (U.K.), Regis Philbin (U.S.), and the incomparable Gay Byrne (Ireland).

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Constructive comments, from a diversity of viewpoints, are always welcome. I reserve the right to choose which comments will be printed. I'm happy to post opinions differing from mine. Courtesy, an ecumenical attitude, and a willingness to give your name always help. A sense of humour is a definite "plus", as well.

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About Me

I grew up in the United States and have lived in Australia since 1980. I'm a retired (recycled?) minister in the Uniting Church in Australia. At various times, I've been a parish minister, ecumenical staffer, and hospital chaplain. Some of my interests include theology, liturgy, ecumenism, interfaith relations, history, politics, the arts, humour, and Christmas in popular culture. (I did my doctorate on Advent and Christmas as a "season of opportunity" for churches to relate to their communities.)